


A Foolish Kind of Hope

by LadyKenz347



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, I mean it when I say no archive warnings, but I promise it'll be okay, touch o angst, you're not gonna believe me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24397762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKenz347/pseuds/LadyKenz347
Summary: There is no such thing as two unstoppable forces. One always overpowers. The other always loses.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 30
Kudos: 201
Collections: Talk Isn't Cheap Fest





	A Foolish Kind of Hope

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [Talk_Isnt_Cheap](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Talk_Isnt_Cheap) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Character A: "One–" 
> 
> Character B: "Two. Three. Do what you gotta do."

“Just do it, Malfoy.” The words are venom as Hermione fights against the rope that binds her wrists, burning into her skin with each wild pull. Of course, she’d known it could someday come to this. She would be stupid to think that they’d both make it out of this alive and on opposite sides of the war. 

But still, she’d clung to hope. Foolish, idiotic hope. 

“Granger.” The tendons in his throat are thick and pulled tight as her name slips through gritted teeth. “I told you not to get caught.” 

There is a desperation in his voice that only she can hear, she remembers it from when they were still  _ them.  _ From the dusty Room of Lost Things when she’d found him all those years ago, breaking under the pressure of his mission. 

Now that it’s time— now that death’s rancid breath is sweeping down her neck— she’s grateful it’s him. At least she gets to look at him one last time and she prays that he might mask some kindness into his face again. 

Hermione’s eyes flutter closed and she clings to their final memories together when things were right— when they were happy. She remembers the feeling of his lips brushing along the long column of her throat and his hands roaming her body. It’s when she remembers those three little words and the way he’d spoken them in reverence that she cracks, a sob breaking through her chest as she tries to collect herself. She doesn’t want to die a coward. 

With a final fortifying breath, she opens her eyes and stares at him. “It’s okay, Draco.” Her voice is a breathless whisper, and a tear streaks down her cheek because as much as she wants to live another day, she wants  _ him _ to live more.  _ “It’s okay.”  _

His anger fades; his jaw trembles. Behind him she can see Death Eaters gathering, come to watch the Golden Girl meet her fateful end.  _ “I told you not to get caught.”  _

A sick chuckle rumbles in her chest and she shakes her head once. “Yeah, and I told you not to tell me what to do.” She tries to smile, really she does, but it’s met with an unamused sneer as he studies the night sky. “It’ll be alright, Draco. I know you have to,” she whispers, her gaze darting to the line of cloaks and masks on the horizon. “Make it quick.” 

“Hermione.” It’s a whimper or a whine and she wishes she could at least make it better somehow. But she can’t. 

She already lost.

Something in his features hardens and he’s more resolved when he looks at her again. The sound of thick boot heels crunching in the underbrush as Death Eaters stalk forward steals her breath, and her heart picks up in a wild gallop. Out of time. Draco lifts his wand, and she can see the way his wrist is shaking as he takes a few steps toward her. 

“One,” he says, his voice tight and pained and she can’t bear it another second. 

“Two.  _ Three _ . Do what you gotta do, Malfoy. I forgive you.” Her eyes close and she drops her head, ready to meet death as tears spill onto the forest floor. “I love you.” 

“Goddamnit, Granger.” He takes another step and his hand grips under her arm too hard, dragging her to her feet roughly. 

His eyes search her face and she can see the shift, the choice. “Malfoy?” 

“Draco!” Hermione vaguely recognizes the low voice even from beyond his bronzed mask. “Get on with it; we’ve got to get back.” 

His silver eyes stay locked on hers even as he calls over his shoulder, “Coming!” Filling her lungs one last time, she feels the tip of his wand press into her belly. “Hold tight, Granger.” 

She expects a flash of green or maybe just overwhelming darkness, but she’s lifted through the air, twisting in smoke and magic, her body curling through space until the pair of them land with an ungraceful  _ thud _ onto the cold earth.

Coughing, she rolls to her side. Draco climbs to his feet, his lip curled in a snarl as he bats the debris from his clothing. 

“Where are we?” she manages, scrambling to stand as she takes in the cottage and the mountain range behind it. 

“The continent. The foot of the Alps, to be precise.” 

Hermione’s breath catches as she stares out at the grand scene in front of her, and when Draco turns, his expression is unreadable. With a flick of his wand the magic that binds her falls away. 

“Draco, what did you just do?”

“Saved your life.” Draco stalks towards the cottage. If she stares hard enough she can see the target he’s just drawn on his own back. He crosses the threshold, disappearing into darkness, and Hermione can’t get her feet to move to follow him. 

_ “Well?”  _ He shouts from inside. “Are you coming or not?”

Disbelief churns in her belly as she grapples with the impossible thought that Draco Malfoy just defected to save her life. She releases a breath she hadn’t been sure she was holding and finally takes the first step toward the cottage. 

**Author's Note:**

> Ayo! I loved writing this short little thang for the Dumbledore's Armada Flash Fiction Fest! This was the first prompt on the list and I snagged it before reading on! 
> 
> Big thanks to my alpha, MCal and beta, GracefulLioness for taking a peek at this and reassuring me it wasn't hot garbage. MWAH! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
